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Grilled lamb souvlaki is a delicious and easy way to introduce Mediterranean-style lamb to even the pickiest diners. These easy Greek lamb skewers are sure to become a favorite.
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At Sweet C’s, I add lots of tips in all of my recipes – because I am a home cook without any formal training, and I find I am more confident making dishes when I understand why it works, and what each ingredient means to the flavor of a recipe – my goal is for even the most beginner home cook to feel empowered in the kitchen.
I want each reader to walk away with a solid knowledge of each recipe, with all of the tips I’ve gathered from extensive testing of each recipe. I also answer questions my friends and family have asked about my recipes, to help everyone better understand the processes we use – and why!
Easy Grilled Lamb Souvlaki
The key to easy grilled lamb souvlaki is the Gree-inspired marinade. The flavor combinations of lemon juice, garlic, and oregano are delicious and do the important work of tenderizing the meat while toning down the sometimes strong flavor of lamb.
Lamb souvlaki is different from the classic lamb gyro because it is cooked on a skewer rather than a vertical spit like a gyro. It’s sold as fast food from cafes and street corners alongside gyros sandwiches and as meat by the pound or skewer. Souvlaki is the Greek word for “skewer.”
Grilled lamb souvlaki is delicious hot off the grill and tasty cold as leftovers in a host of different applications. The bright lemon and earthy oregano flavors are sure to please even the pickiest eater.
How to Make Grilled Lamb Souvlaki
To make this recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Lamb – I used leg of lamb, which came deboned. With all red meat, it’s important to trim off as much silver skin as possible, as it is chewy, inedible, and doesn’t break down during cooking.
- Lemon – Use both the zest and the juice for this recipe. The zest is the colorful outer part of the peal. It’s highly aromatic and tastes of the essence of lemon, without the bitterness of the white pith. The juice is tart and bright. The acid helps soften and tenderize the meat while bringing fresh lemon flavor to the lamb.
- Garlic powder – Garlic powder brings deep and earthy flavor to the dish, without the sharp spice often found in raw garlic.
- Oregano – Oregano is a traditional herb for seasoning meat in the Mediterranean region. Its earthy and pungent flavor pairs well with cumin, garlic powder, and meats.
- Basil – Basil provides sweetness and floral notes that help round out the earthy flavors of the other spices.
- Garlic cloves – Raw garlic is full of flavor, and brings a traditional share spicey taste. There is an enzyme in the garlic that is released when it is crushed that helps tenderize the lamb.
- Olive Oil.
- Salt and pepper – Salt enhances the flavor of the lamb and the other spices, while the pepper brings a mild heat that pairs well with the earthy and acid flavors of the other spices.
Once you’ve gathered your ingredients, we will use the following method:
- Prepare the lamb. Remove excess fat, silver skin, and bone from your lamb. Cut the lamb into small, but uniform pieces, about 1”-1.5” square.
- Marinate the lamb. Drive the raw garlic cloves. Zest and juice your lemon, and add to the diced garlic and remaining dry ingredients, and olive oil. Mix well and then add your lamb. I like to store the marinading lamb in a zip-top bag in the refrigerator. I recommend you allow the lamb to marinate for at least 30-45 minutes.
- Skewer the lamb. When you’re ready to cook the lamb, place it on skewers keeping pieces of the same size together.
- Grill your lamb souvlaki skewers. I used a Lodge Sportsmall grill to cook my lamb skewers. It is a small cast iron grill that is portable and great for grilling. You can find the grill here. I used Jealous Devil Onyx Binchotan Charcoal because a relatively small amount burns very hot and clean. Cook the skewers, turning regularly until they are brown on all sides and reach an internal temperature of 130o degrees for medium doneness.
- Rest the lamb souvlaki and serve hot. Once the lamb has reached an internal temperature of 130o for medium doneness, remove it from the grill and let rest for 5-7 minutes before serving. You can serve still on the skewer, or remove it from the skewer before serving.
Tips and Tricks to Perfect Lamb Souvlaki:
Lamb souvlaki is incredibly easy to make, but these tips will help make it even better.
Substitute loin or shoulder if a leg of lamb isn’t available. While I used a boneless leg of lamb, you can also use the shoulder of lamb or lamb loin. If you’re concerned about the lamb tasting gamey, use lamb loin as it contains less intermuscular fat, which can offer a strong taste. If you use loin, cook it to 125o internal temperature for medium-rare doneness. Loin contains less fat and isn’t exercised like the leg, so it should be cooked rarer for moistness.
Cut the lamb into uniform pieces. One of the most important parts of getting this recipe right is to ensure the lamb is cut into uniform pieces. Uniform pieces ensure that the lamb will cook evenly on the grill.
Use reusable metal skewers instead of wooden ones. Greek souvlaki is traditionally cooked with disposable wooden skewers. They’re soaked in water before cooking to prevent them from burning and reduce the chances of splintering when the lamb is skewered. I find this doesn’t always work, and we don’t like the splintering of wooden skewers. Reusable metal skewers are hygienic, easy to clean and skewer meat much more easily. I use these skewers.
FAQ:
If the weather isn’t conducive to grilling, you can cook your lamb souvlaki in the oven. Cook it on a sheet pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Broil at 400o turning every 5 minutes until the lamb is browned evenly and reaches an internal temperature of 130o F.
You can freeze your cooked lamb souvlaki for up to a month, and reheat it before serving.
You can marinate the lamb up 36-48 hours before cooking. You can easily prepare the lamb ahead of time, and cook it when your guests arrive.
What to serve with Easy Grilled Lamb Souvlaki
Souvlaki is one of our favorite easy Greek food meals to make at home – it’s delicious with spicy whipped feta, halloumi, tzatziki, or a Mediterranean baba ganoush!
Easy Grilled Lamb Souvlaki
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Grilled Lamb Souvlaki
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 boneless leg of lamb
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 lemon, zest and juice
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon basil
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper, fresh ground
- 1 cup olive oil
Instructions
- Remove excess fat, silver skin, and bone from your lamb. Cut the lamb into small, but uniform pieces, about 1”-1.5” square.
- Combine the zest and juice your lemon, diced garlic, remaining dry ingredients, and olive oil. Mix well and then add your lamb. Marinate in the fridge. I like to store the marinading lamb in a zip-top bag in the refrigerator. I recommend you allow the lamb to marinate for at least 30-45 minutes ideally 24 hours.
- When you’re ready to cook the lamb, place it on skewers keeping pieces of the same size together.
- Heat a grill to medium high. Cook the skewers, turning regularly until they are brown on all sides and reach an internal temperature of 130F degrees for medium doneness.
- Remove lamb from the grill and let rest for 5-7 minutes before serving. You can serve still on the skewer, or remove it from the skewer before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Yummy